


She is Mine, I am Hers

by theletterdee



Series: Tumblr Prompts - DBM [21]
Category: The Doctor Blake Mysteries
Genre: F/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:35:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23903218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theletterdee/pseuds/theletterdee
Summary: Matthew and Alice have been spending time together since the Blake's wedding, keeping it secret from Ballarat until one day it's not so secret anymore. anon prompt on tumblr asking for a fic "where malice get caught out because alice's lipstick is smudged prompt the blake or even police constables teasing"
Relationships: Alice Harvey/Matthew Lawson
Series: Tumblr Prompts - DBM [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1258799
Kudos: 4





	She is Mine, I am Hers

He should have known they would eventually be found out; months and months of quiet lunches and late into the night discussions while the Blakes were on their honeymoon lulled him and Alice into a false sense of security. It had taken him weeks of spending time with her outside of work before they'd even broached the subject of them being more than friends, so Matthew never pushed her further than she was comfortable with the idea of them as a couple.

But their time together - their stolen snatches of privacy - had made him happier than he could have imagined; life hadn't been especially kind to either of them - society viewed them both as odd (he a quiet, grumpy bachelor, she a woman who dared to stand proud in a man's world) - and neither had had much luck in love, so Matthew cherished the bond between them.

"Have a good rest of the day," she smiled at him when he dropped her off at the morgue following another lunch; Matthew smiled back - the grin growing when she crooked a finger at him and went up slightly on her toes to kiss him.

They tried to refrain from forms of public affection while working - just in case someone came across them - because Matthew was like a starving man faced with a spectacular feast when it came to kissing Alice; he couldn't get enough.

"Matthew," Alice giggled softly as she drew back from his kisses, "we've work to do."

"I don't want to work."

"Silly man," she patted his cheek. "Will you come over for dinner?"

"I'll try, the Blakes are back so it might be trickier to sneak out of the house."

That got him a laugh at the implication that the Blakes were somehow their chaperones; Alice wiped away the lipstick on his mouth - her cheeks blushing pink when he kissed the pad of her thumb - before she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Have a good rest of the day, my dear Matthew."

"You too, sweetheart."

Leaving her with one last soft kiss, Matthew fought the urge to whistle as he returned to the station - a pep in his step that he hoped would remain there for the rest of the day while he worked on a reason to slip out of 7 Mycroft Avenue this evening.

"Good lunch?" Lucien's voice interrupted his plotting, and Matthew looked up to see his old friend smiling as he sat in the chair opposite Matthew's desk.

(Matthew also noted that Hobart and some of the other constables were huddled around the tea kettle in the corner - whispering and occasionally looking up at Matthew, no doubt worried he'd chide them for gossiping like schoolgirls instead of working.)

"Yeah, nothing unusual."

"You sure?"

Matthew stopped writing at the teasing tone in Lucien's voice and looked up in time to see his friend try to squash the grin spreading across his face.

"What do you want, Blake?"

"Just want to know if your lunch was good."

"You're fishing in an empty pond, that's what you're doing."

"Really?" this time Lucien didn't hide his grin. "Are you so sure?"

With a sigh, Matthew stood and moved towards the tea; if Lucien was going to be difficult, he'd need to fortify himself with a strong cuppa.

"Boss," Hobart nodded to him with a smile, and it set Matthew on edge.

The new constables continued to whisper, either not realizing Matthew had come over or not caring, but Matthew ignored them as he set about putting a fresh pot on for the station.

" _I didn't know they were like that_ ," his ears picked up some of the whispering and he paused in making his cuppa - wondering if Alice's anxiety about being found out by the town was rubbing off on him.

" _I know, she always seemed so frigid to me, but evidently there's something going on there for him to be with her_."

" _Enough for her lipstick to stay on him, that's for sure, not so much of a frigid doc as we thought, eh_?"

The constables laughed, and heat flooded his cheeks - out of embarrassment or anger, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't about to let this go on any further; he cleared his throat behind them, silently relishing the startled jumps both of them did as they whirled around to face him.

"Boss!" one of them squeaked out.

"I dearly hope you're not talking about who I _think_ you're talking about, constables."

They stumbled over each other - trying to explain themselves to their boss, who's glare got deeper and deeper as it went on.

"Why were you gossiping about her in the first place?"

"Ah, well, you see, Boss-"

"Her lipstick is on your cheek," they blurted out, their amusement coming back the longer he stared at them, and Matthew fought the urge to knock them both on their asses.

"So, you see, it's actually quite funny."

"What's funny is the idea that you think it's acceptable to gossip about a well-respected member of Ballarat!" their laughter died in their throats as Matthew shouted at the two of them. "You will not speak of Dr. Harvey in that way ever again, I don't give a damn what you find funny or not! If I ever hear you speak of her like that again, I'll throw you in the cells myself, do I make myself clear?"

The constables looked properly chastised, even as complete silence fell on the station - no one daring to breathe loudly after Matthew finished yelling; a shift of fabric in the doorway made him look up to see Alice standing in the doorway - her eyes wide and slightly teary as she met his gaze before she turned on her heel and fled.

"Alice!" he hurried after her - ignoring the looks both of them were getting as he chased her through the station; he caught her hand in the outside breezeway. "Alice, sweetheart."

She stopped and slowly turned to face him - tears running silently down her face, and all Matthew wanted to do was pull her into his arms, but the tension in her shoulders and the way she flinched (just a little) when he stepped closer told him that wouldn't be a welcome gesture. The tears only surprised him a little - Alice hated being laughed at - and he wondered how long she'd been standing there.

"How much did you hear?" he asked her softly, twining their fingers together as they stood in the breezeway.

"Enough," she replied - barely louder than the rustling leaves behind them. "I… I would understand if you've changed your mind."

"Changed my mind? About what?"

"Us… me…"

"Alice, sweetheart, why would I do that?"

Alice ripped her hand from his grasp and wrapped her arms around herself, "You were just embarrassed in front of your men, Matthew!"

"Alice," he stopped her from turning away from him with a hand on her elbow, "I wasn't embarrassed."

"You only yell like that when you are."

"I also yell when angry or when things are unfair, and this was definitely unfair."

"To you?"

"No," Matthew took a chance to step closer, inwardly sighing in relief when she didn't pull back, "to _you_ , Alice."

" _Me_?"

"Yes, you."

"I… I don't have many people fighting in my corner."

"Well you've got me in there, sweetheart, even before we started seeing each other," he smiled when her cheeks flushed at the memory of him carpeting Wallace back before the Blakes were married. "You've always got me."

"My champion?"

"You could say that," his smile widened when Alice stepped closer - her hands slowly curling around the belt of his uniform jacket.

"It won't be a pleasant job… most people here don't find me accommodating."

"I don't care, Alice. They can go to hell for all I care about them, I'm not here for them… I'm here for you. I'm _yours_ , sweetheart… for as long as you'll have me."

Her blush deepened - high on her cheeks as she pulled him to her by his jacket and leaned closer; Matthew cradled her face in his hands and nuzzled her nose with his.

"You aren't worried people will see?" she asked him quietly. "That they'll talk?"

"Let them see, let them talk, the people who matter to us will be happy for us - not jealous."

Smiling, Alice nodded, "Okay… let them see."

She leaned up a little on her toes and captured his mouth in a kiss; her hands clutched at the wool of his uniform as she pulled him closer.

"I'm yours too, dearest," she murmured against his lips - grinning when he kissed her soundly in the breezeway, to hell with what others thought.


End file.
